Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Woodcutter 19th century

This writing box with woodcutter was created by Ogata Kōrin in Japan, featuring a lacquered wood base and exquisite details. The box is a beautiful example of *maki-e* lacquer work. Gold and silver powder are sprinkled onto wet lacquer, creating luminous decorative effects. You can see this painstaking process most clearly in the depiction of the woodcutter, seated on a golden plane. Notice the abalone shell inlay too, adding subtle iridescence to the figure’s clothing. The *maki-e* technique, perfected over centuries, elevates this functional object to a work of art. The labor-intensive process imbued the box with cultural and social significance, marking it as an object of status. The traditions from which this piece arises regarded calligraphy as one of the fine arts, not as a form of labor. By appreciating the meticulous making of this writing box, we can expand our understanding of the intricate relationship between art, craft, and design.